Integrating acquired companies: culture first, systems later

Cameron Herold September 18, 2023

• Lead with core values and trust, not software and processes.
• Phased three-year brand transition prevents alienating legacy employees.
• Informal offsites build the real relationships that make mergers work.

Empowering Teams Beyond Management with Cameron Herold

Cameron Herold September 6, 2023

AI's real business impact is employee fear, not automation

Cameron Herold September 4, 2023

• The real AI threat is workforce fear and paralysis, not job replacement.
• Only employees who refuse to use AI are actually at risk.
• One hour a week of hands-on AI play cuts fear and builds capability.

Managing ADHD as an entrepreneurial superpower, not a deficit

Cameron Herold August 27, 2023

• ADHD peripheral awareness is a structural edge in business
• Hyper-focus is a liability for entrepreneurs, not an asset
• Delegation and prioritisation replace medication as the control mechanism

Why Google reviews are a compounding asset for local businesses

Cameron Herold August 25, 2023

• Businesses with 2,500 reviews crush competitors sitting at 50.
• Capture reviews at peak happiness — right as customers leave.
• Every review compounds; volume wins search, not quality alone.

Scaling leadership teams: people, culture, and operational leverage

Cameron Herold August 23, 2023

• Mid-level managers default to hiring when their real problem is skill gaps.
• A vivid vision gives every employee the same mental movie as the founder.
• Pay base salary well — annual bonuses demotivate for 50 weeks of the year.

How to turn B players into A players

Cameron Herold August 18, 2023

• Skill gaps and values gaps require completely different fixes
• Behaviour and core values are deeply ingrained — often unchangeable
• Sometimes the right answer is removing them from the team entirely

Leading remote teams and embracing technology as a competitive advantage

Cameron Herold August 16, 2023

• Why a 25-year-old with tech skills beats 40 years of experience
• In-person gatherings are the new off-sites for remote teams
• COOs must now be technically competent, not just tech-adjacent

Focused execution: maximising ROI from people, time, and money

Cameron Herold August 13, 2023

• Saying no to most opportunities protects your three finite resources.
• Title inflation quietly inflates compensation — fix titles to fix pay.
• Employees climb two ladders simultaneously: skills and confidence.

The COO's core daily responsibilities

Cameron Herold August 9, 2023

• Every COO role is shaped by what the CEO lacks or avoids
• Watch the 'virtual bench' — developing emerging leaders is core work
• Strategic visibility across all business units beats micromanagement

Four leadership qualities that separate great leaders from average ones

Cameron Herold August 7, 2023

• Ego dissolves team consensus — all leaders must shed it, not just the CEO
• Introspection means blaming yourself first, not the economy or others
• Empathy turns struggling team members into people who go through brick walls

The seven types of COO and how to find the right one

Cameron Herold August 2, 2023

• No two COOs have the same job — the role is defined by the CEO
• Seven distinct COO archetypes from Executor to Heir Apparent
• Start the COO search with the CEO's gaps, not the candidate

How to hire, integrate acquisitions, and retain key employees

Cameron Herold July 30, 2023

• Polarising job postings cut bad hires before the interview starts.
• Acquire companies fast, cheap — integrate culture first, systems last.
• Retention is individual: bespoke ladders beat golden handcuff programs.

When to invest in a platform vs. ship something simple

Cameron Herold July 19, 2023

• Freeze IT builds for 12 months; find 12 free solutions instead
• Simple tools that work beat complex integrated platforms
• Headcount is not a scalable fix — build leadership skills

How operations managers can advance to director and COO level

Cameron Herold July 19, 2023

• Title inflation masks true level — scope and pay reveal the reality
• Read what your CEO reads to close the strategic thinking gap
• Top performers at every level still use coaches — so should you